ID Keys: Dark cheek with bright yellow surrounding it, dark crown,
black chin and throat, yellow breast, 2 white wing-bars
Townsend's Warblers are primarily birds of the cool coniferous
forests of the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada, but can occasionally be
found as migrants in the Black Hills of South Dakota. They are quite
similar to the Black-throated Green
Warbler, a warbler found in the eastern part of the continent.
Habitat
Breeds
in tall coniferous forests of the Pacific Northwest and western Canada.
Also primarily found in conifer forests during migration, but also in trees in
riparian areas.
Diet
Primarily feeds on insects and spiders. They will
also occasionally feed on seeds, berries, and nectar, especially during the
winter.
Behavior
Usually forages high in the forest
canopy, moving through the foliage in search of insects. They will
also sometimes hover to glean insects from foliage, or will fly out from a
perch to catch insects in mid-air. Note in December in San Francisco,
I also found very good numbers of Townsend's Warblers foraging quite low in
bushes and shrubs, and sometimes even on the ground.
Breeding
Non-breeder in South Dakota
Song
Fast series of buzzy thin notes, variable
but usually rising in tone.
Migration
Neotropical migrant. Summers along in forests of the Pacific Northwest,
western Canada, and southern Alaska. Primarily winters in Mexico and
Central America, but some can be found near the U.S. Pacific coast.
